In re Application of Washington

Summary

The Supreme Court of Ohio disapproved Brianna Lynn Washington’s pending application for admission to practice law after finding inaccurate reporting of work hours during an internship and a failure to cooperate with the character-and-fitness investigation. The court permitted her to reapply and seek admission to the July 2018 bar examination, subject to a complete character-and-fitness investigation.

Holdings

1. Washington failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence that she possessed the requisite character, fitness, and moral qualifications for admission to the Ohio bar at that time.
2. Washington's failure to appear at the second hearing and failure to respond to the panel's repeated efforts to contact her constituted sufficient grounds for disapproving her application.
3. Although the pending application was disapproved, Washington was permitted to file a new application and apply to take the July 2018 bar examination, subject to a complete character-and-fitness investigation and renewed proof of her qualifications.

Questions Presented

1. Whether Washington demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that she possessed the requisite character, fitness, and moral qualifications for admission to the practice of law in Ohio.
2. Whether inaccurate reporting of internship hours and failure to cooperate with the character-and-fitness investigation warranted disapproval of her pending application.
3. Whether Washington should be permitted to reapply and seek admission to a future Ohio bar examination.

Disposition

other